


Name her Freya

by TakeoffyourclothesyowzahDoctorSong97



Series: Time Songs [1]
Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Pregnancy, Time Babies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-12
Updated: 2014-06-19
Packaged: 2018-02-04 09:11:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1773664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TakeoffyourclothesyowzahDoctorSong97/pseuds/TakeoffyourclothesyowzahDoctorSong97
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Doctor and River were walking hand in hand through the narrow streets of an alien city when they realised they weren't alone, the all too-familiar creatures with black suits and three fingers were following them, together with eye-patched soldiers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've chosen the name Freya for the Doctor and River's daughter, after reading this fanfictions (https://www.fanfiction.net/u/4289276/obsessedsoul). The idea is that the name of the baby is after Gallifrey (--> Freya).  
> Hope you enjoy the story! xxx

The Doctor and River were walking hand in hand through the narrow streets of an alien city, when they realised they weren't alone, the all too-familiar creatures with black suits and three fingers were following them.  
They began to walk as fast as the four-month baby bump allowed River. They tried to brush past the crowd, to reach the TARDIS, not far from where they were.

The Doctor was starting to freak out, he was afraid of loosing his wife, so his grip of her hand becoming more and more tight. Why was he running? Then he saw them _again_ and he sped up his pace, then he forgot _again_. There were many black lines on his arm and he understood, the Silence was following them.

River saw them too, the shadow that had hunted her childhood and now her dreams. They knew, they knew about the baby and now they were already claiming her unborn daughter to fashion her into a weapon against her own father. River couldn't bear the thought of such an horrible fate for her tiny Time Lady, she didn't want her child to have her same destiny, her daughter wouldn't face all that suffering, like she had. But then she looked away and she forgot, the adrenaline still in her blood and the terror burdening her soul. Not knowing what enemy she was facing had always frighten her since she was a child.

At last they saw the reassuring image of their blue box, which opened promptly her doors to let her thief and her child to enter. The Doctor shut the doors and ran to the console, hastily moving levers and pressing buttons until finally they were safe in the Vortex. River was still standing at the closed doors, her hands stroking protectively her baby bump.

When the Doctor saw her face he fretted: she was extremely pale and her body was shacking. She was visibly shocked and tears were streaking her cheeks, but her eyes, they were an abyss of pure dread and agonising pain.  
He moved nearer her, he feared she would faint at any moment.

"River..."

When he finally approached her, he took her in his embrace and she started to sob in his harms. He led her to the couch and helped her to sit down.

"Doctor, why have you ran away like that?" She knew the answer but she needed him to comfirm it. 

Her gaze was fixed on an undetermined spot of her hands.

"I don't know. But judging by the marks I made on my arm, River... I'm afraid it's... it's the Silence."

River shivered and caressed her little bump protectively. They were coming for her baby and they would have done the same things she had suffered, but she would have not permitted that, her daughter wouldn't face those inhumanities.

"Doctor... She... It means they are coming for _her_... For our baby."

She took her head in her hands and started to cry again, the Doctor wrapped an harm around her waist.

"I won't let anything happen to her, I promise, River. I know I've failed with you but this time I won't."

"I know you won't, but I'm afraid anyway, they are too strong, even for us."

"We'll run, faster than we've ever run and we will hide."

She sighed, laying her head on his shoulder. He stroked her little bump, with a tender smile. After all those years he was going to be a father again, he had the chance to start a family with none less then his gorgeous River Song and that was all he could have asked. He was not letting anybody or anything took them away from him, not now, not in the future. They had to hide somewhere until the Silence would have lost their tracks.  
Suddenly he stood up and exclaimed:

"I have a plan, is something still in progress, but could become a good plan. We need Clara."

 

They arrived at Clara's house in the evening, when the sun was setting down and after two hours the three of them disappeared into the TARDIS.


	2. Chapter 2

John Smith was walking through the sun-drenched streets of Brighton, in the cold winter of the 1920. Officially he moved to the city in search of inspiration but actually he hoped to hide from some strange men who were chasing him. His chaser were odd soldiers with a black cap and a stiff bandage of the same colour. Everything had begun one night in London, he was drinking in a pub with his friends when he saw them through the window. He didn't care at first, but when the night was over and he was heading to home, they started to follow him and he had to run away not to be taken. After that night he started to move from one city to another, until he reached Brighton. They apparently disappeared, so he decided to stay there. He waited a week until finally the threat seemed to be gone. Now John was desperately searching for a place to stay, a simple room to lease, where he could work, without being disturbed. One of his friends, met in Brighton, suggested him the room rented by a teacher, the widow of a colonel, who left for Ireland and never came back; he was heading to the house to meet the owner and discuss the rent money.

John arrived at the address and rang the bell at the big door front, it opened and he was introduced to a little yard, with a big snow-clad tree in the middle. A young woman came, she was a pretty snub-nosed brunette.

"Do-!... You must be the poet, your name is..."

She bit her lip and stared at him with a mischievous look.

"I'm John, yes, the poet, quite the poet, not entirely, try to be some sort of poet...but yes you can call the poet simply."

Her mischievous grin disappeared: she was now standing there awkwardly.

"Ok... I'm Clara, the teacher's nurse, come in, I'll lead you to her."

"Oh, thank you."

They walked through the empty and dark house, until they arrived to the living room. And there she was, a stunning woman, with blonde curly hair and the bluest eyes in the world. Her wild locks caressed her shoulders, while the light colour of her hair contrasted with the black suit she was wearing, it was tighter of her middle: she was pregnant.

He had dreamt for several nights about a curly haired woman with a baby in her arms, but he had never been able to see her face and the woman in front of him resembled the one in his dream quite well.

She was lost in her thoughts looking out of the window, with a sad expression on her face, stroking unconsciously her baby bump. She was startled by Clara's throat-clearing and immediately she stood up, walking to her guest.

"Ma'am this is John Smith, the poet, he wanted to discuss about the rent room."

"Of course, sit down please, can I offer you something? Maybe a cup of tea or a coffee."

"Oh, no thank you."

She was giving him a sweet smile, even though her eyes showed sadness and a hint of fear, she seemed lost and he thought was due to the demise of her husband.

"So, you wanted to discuss the rent room, well, I'm aware that the house is quite old and I would dare say almost crumbling, but in my opinion the price is reasonable, would you like to give a look at the room?"

He was an attractive and mysterious young men, well yes, he had the face of a 12-year-old boy, but she loved it. She shouldn't have thought about him in that way, he was too young for he, but she couldn't help it.

John was wondering why this beautiful but deeply melancholy teacher attracted him so much, maybe it was the perfect curves of her body or her warm voice, he didn't know but it felt like he had already met her and he did but in his dreams. She was staring at him, waiting for an answer, when he was brought back to reality from his thoughts, by her gentle voice, pronouncing his name.

"No, it's fine, I want it."

"Oh, ok. I'm going to bring you the papers."

She was heading to the door but was stopped by Clara.

"No, ma'am I am going, just sit down and relax."

The brunette said, rushing out of the room. There was something else John didn't understand, why was that girl, Clara taking care of her? She was pregnant yes, but not invalid, usually pregnant women don't need the 24-hour assistance of a nurse. The curly haired woman saw the man's questioning look, laid on Clara, so she broke the silence and spoke.

"Clara is a nurse, she is helping me because the pregnancy is quite nasty and we are worried about a miscarry or any sort of complication, I feel always weak and she is keeping an eye on me and the baby. We are friends, I almost raised her and she wants to take care of me now, she's a sweet girl."

She beamed talking about the young lady, who welcomed him few minutes ago. He felt panic raising in him, he didn't know why, he was just becoming more anxious, because of what she had said, what did it mean she could miscarry?

"I'm sorry. While staying here I will do whatever is possible to help you, too. My friends had talked about you. You are a very brave woman, alone, without your husband and a baby on the way."

"I don't think it's bravery just surviving."

"Yes, maybe, but your works about those ancient civilisations are amazing! You're not just an excellent archeologist but also a very good writer!"

He was very exited talking about her works, when his friend had talked about Doctor Song, he had informed about her and her work, reading all her books.

"You are buttering me up, aren't you?"

She was laughing, at last after weeks of sorrow this young poet, who was now smiling at her shyly, had been able to bring the smile back on her lips.

Clara entered the room once again with the papers and a pen, John Smith signed them and his biggest adventure began.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the new chapter :)  
> I wanted to analyse the relationship between River and the baby. And don't worry in the next chapter there will be more River and John's moment together. ;)  
> Please let me know if you like the story! xxx

15th January

It was a month since he had moved to his new home. The room was really good, it had a bed against the wall, there was also a beautiful mahogany desk, where he could work on his poetries. A big wardrobe finely chiseled. A persian carpet laid at one side of the bed and heavy curtains hung from the ceiling, covering the bright windows. It was certainly a room for an aristocrat, he couldn't understand why nobody had wanted to rent it. Maybe was the abandoned appearance... He didn't know.

During that month he had become quite close with River and Clara. The young girl was extremely funny and peppy, talking with her was a pleasure, but all his attention was drawn by River. It was like she was an open book for him: he could read all the different emotions which battled against each other in her soul just by looking in her eyes. But there was something more, something he couldn't put his finger on it, an air of mystery lingered around her essence. He was attracted by her and he didn't know why. He felt for her a deeply and sincere respect, but also a tender affection he hadn't experienced before. One night he understood that tenderness he had for her was something stronger, it was pure and unconditioned love, like the unconditioned was the love River had for her unborn baby.

He was passing in front of River's half-closed door, a warm and enveloping light spread from the opening, it was in that moment he heard it: the most enthralling melody he had ever heard, that reminded him of something old, something lost, something so dear, it recalled him of his childhood. He glanced inside the room: River was laying on her bed, wearing a light white nightgown, which highlighted her baby bump. She was singing lovingly to her unborn baby, while her hands were caressing the point on her belly where the baby was supposed to be.

 

"You know baby I'm wondering if you will be a man or a woman. I would like you to be a girl, so one day you could feel what I feel and you could understand me, seeing the world like I do. If you are a girl you could become a mother once grown up and that is the most beautiful thing it can happen to you, but also the most difficult challenge. Being a mother is not a job or a duty, is the most amazing right you could ever wish for, don't get me wrong, this is no bed of roses, as all the good things you have to work hard to make it right. You are going to fight for what you really want and maybe you will loose but you don't have to worry. Is far better to fight than win, when you will win, you'll just feel a sense of emptiness. Remember that you are a fighter, coming to the world is already a risk that you are going to face, I know it's difficult, but don't give in to cowardice, you are going to be brave, braver that you even suspect.

Nevertheless if you will be a boy I will be happy anyway, I hope you are going to be the man I've always dreamt about: sweet with the undefended, fierce against injustice, determined to protect those in need and try to remember to forgive, because we are not gods and we tent to make mistakes, so many mistakes and this, I think, it's just intrinsic in the human nature.

Anyway whatever you are little one, boy or girl, your mummy loves you so much and can't wait to meet you. I confess you that I'm a little scared, I hope to be able to meet your expectations and to not let you down, at least not too often. Even if the pregnancy can be scary and painful, what I feel for you is just pride, I'm so proud of you, a whole little person growing inside of me, I like to think I created the most precious flower and... yes,  you are my masterpiece, even if I have never seen you, or at least not yet. I'm so thankful you are here with me, since the day I realised you were there I've never felt alone again. Since that night I've sensed you in my belly, it has been like you've completed me and my whole life. You are the biggest turning point of my existence, I feel like there's just a "Before You" and "After You". The "Before You" has been quite grey, and just now with you my world is becoming colorful. I hope you won't feel too lonely, because it will be just the two of us... But I am going to do everything is in my power to make you happy and you will never be alone, I will always try my best to be with you."

A tear escape from her eyes, she was afraid of not being enough for her baby. The dread of not being able to protect her child against the threats of the world always ground on her heart. Life had been so hostile to her, it had taken her husband away when she most needed him. But the expression on her face changed in an instant. The dread and the sorrow was immediately substituted by a look of content, calm and serious attention. John who was still peeking at her in the hallway couldn't understand the meaning of such a sudden change. She felt the movements of a new life growing inside her. Now more than ever she realised that the idea of that little miracle she called baby was real and tangible. She laughed sweetly when she felt the baby kicking stronger against the exact spot where her hand was.

"You know sweetheart, actually we will not be completely alone, there's Clara too, she is such a doting and tender girl, I'm sure you'll love her, she will be a big sister for you. And then there is John, he is a poet, very funny, he's so clumsy, you wouldn't believe it, but he's a good man, I really hope he will stay long enough for you to meet and know him. You see, mummy likes him a lot and I'm sure you will too."

 

John beamed at that, he had known her just for a month now, but he already loved her. She was simply amazing and he adored every part of her, her body, her smirk, her warm voice. But her eyes, nothing could compare with them, he could gladly be shipwrecked in the freedom of her blue eyes. After that night he was sure he wouldn't live River and her baby for any reason in the world, he was going to take care of them. Even if he wasn't the biological father, (actually he was, but he couldn't remember it) he wanted so hard to be part of that baby's life, because that baby was part of River and wanted to share with her that little half part of herself.


	4. Chapter 4

 

_4th February_

 

River was looking at her reflection in the mirror. She was wearing a dark blue dress, her hair gathered in a bun. John had invited her to go to the cinema together. She was a little uncertain at first, she didn't believe it was a good idea but Clara had convinced her and now here she was, adjusting herself to look as much good as possible for _him_. She started to admit that the feelings she had for John were more than just mere affection, it was something that make her feel butterfly in her stomach when he was near and she couldn't blame the baby for that. He had been so nice to her during this period, he had even care for her baby. He was someone she could speak freely with, she trusted him insomuch as she had revealed him her deepest fears and anxieties. 

One last glance at the mirror and she decided she was presentable, well the dress was a little too tight due to her six-month baby bump, and that was a one she had worn at the fourth month of pregnancy, but a part from that she looked quite good in her opinion. 

She quitted her room and went down the stairs where he was waiting with a nervous smile. 

He turned his back and saw her, she was beautiful and he gaped at the sight of her. He stayed like that for a while drinking in her image, when she coughed to bring him back to reality. 

She cut the remaining distance between them and gave him her arm. He composed himself again and take her arm.

"You look amazing..." 

"You look good too, dear, now shall we go?"

He beamed and they exited the house.

 

Clara peeked outside of her window, hidden by the white curtains, looking if River and the Doctor were gone. Insured herself that they had left, she moved to her bed and let escape a heavy sigh while sinking in it. It was the first evening she had completely alone, since the day the Doctor had come to her house with a shocked expression on his face. It had been two months and things seemed to go as planned, well River and the Doctor didn't remember anything about their life together, but that was part of the plan. She decided to pay a visit to the old Blue Box, which was hidden in the basement. She quitted her room and went down the stairs until she arrived at the first floor of the house. She stopped in front of the last staircase which ended in an old white door. She sighed and closed her eyes, her fingers playing with the two keys in her hands, one of the basement's door and the other one of the TARDIS'. The dread in the Doctor's voice still echoing in her mind and his look, so lost and desperate, was still so vivid. She opened her eyes and made for the door, down the stairs. She opened it and turned the light of an hanging bulb on and then she saw her, the beautiful Telephone Box, standing there with an abandoned air. She smiled and run towards the doors, inserting the second key in the lock. Faltering she opened the doors and stepped in. She felt so good inside the TARDIS, she couldn't believe it, considering the mischievous hostility the ship always had had towards her. But at the moment she was a reassuring company, a proof that the Doctor was not completely disappeared, he was still there with her, because there it was his ship. 

The TARDIS reanimated, the dark atmosphere substituted by the suffused lighting she was used to when she travelled with the Doctor. She had been locked in that place for two whole months and the presence of a human being was very pleasant.

"Hello Old Cow! I've missed you!" 

The TARDIS hummed in protest.

"Yes, I know, I know, I should have come earlier, but River first and now also the Doctor had been always around and I couldn't take the risk."

She patted the TARDIS' console and the memories of that day came up to her mind like a river. 

Clara was peacefully reading a book on the couch, when she had heard the bell ring and the frustrated voice of The Doctor shouting her name. She had gone to the door with the same excited smile she had when an adventure with that impossible man was awaiting for her. But when she opened the door she only saw the pure and hopeless desperation on his face and hers fell too.

_"Doctor?... What happened?"_

_"Clara! We need your help! They are coming for our baby and they will turn her into a weapon!"_

_"Doctor, what are you talking about? Who are_ _they_ _?"_

_"The Silence, it's a crazy religious order that want to KILL me! Listen, they had already kidnapped River when she was a child, they raced her with only one purpose: kill me. But of course they failed. The point is they did horrible things to her and now they... They want our daughter. I can't that happen, not to my baby, I can't screw her life just because I'm her father."_

There were tears streaming down his cheeks and he ran a hand over his face nervously. She had never seen him like this, so scared, so vulnerable.

And then his words remerged in her mind, the words that explained why they were stuck there, without memory of each other, except for her. Clara recalled everything very clearly, she was the only one with intact memories.

_"Of course I'm gonna help you, but please explain exactly everything. You've got a time machine, can't you just hide somewhere?"_

_"They have some sort of time travel ship, like a kind of vortex manipulator, but much more advanced and they can track me, they're tracking me right now, I'm a Time Lord and also the penultimate..."_

She could still see the small smile forming in the corners of his lips while saying that, he was now the penultimate and not the last one anymore like once.

_"Anyway, they are following us and in three hours they will be here. The baby is a full Time Lord too, but she is too small, just at the forth month of gestation, so her signal it's too weak to be used. Now follow me in the TARDIS, River is there."_

Clara looked at the couch where River was laying that day, when she stepped in the TARDIS with a scared to death Doctor. There still was the cover which the Doctor had placed on River's body with so much tenderness. Those were the last moments he knew what she really was for him, the last moments he knew he had a loving wife and a child on the way. 

_"Oh, my god, is she all right?"_

_"Yes, yes, she is just sleeping. Now Clara is important you listen to me very, very carefully and you have to utterly trust me. I'm going to use this machine to convert every cell of my body into the ones of a human, it is going to rewrite my DNA. But my Time Lord essence will be kept safe in this watch, if anything goes wrong don't hesitate to open it, it will retransform me into a Time Lord. I couldn't do the same for River, because it hurt too much and it could harm the baby, so I put up a block on her old memories and replaced them with some false one. You are the only one who is going to keep her memories, the only one to know the truth. You are going to stay with River, but I can't be with you three for the first weeks, I'm going to stay in London for a while and then I'm coming to Brighton where you will be. I won't remember anything so you have to help me to get to you and come up with something for that."_

_He then looked at her sleeping wife and moved to her, he lowered to her hight and with a fond smile the Doctor kissed River's lips and then her baby bump. With sad eyes he looked at Clara once again and said: "I'm not going to be with her for a while and even when we will be reunite I won't remember her or our baby, so please, I know I'm asking you so much, but you are the only other person that I completely and utterly trust. Take care of them, not to put pressure on you, but... I'm entrusting their lives to you Clara Oswin Oswald. Thank you."_

Clara watched the clock he had given her. All the Doctor essence was in there, in that simple insignificant clock. She whispered to it, imagining the Doctor somehow in there: "Don't worry Doctor, we're almost done, in few months you will embrace your wife again."

She then stepped outside of the TARDIS and hurried to lock her doors. She left the Old Girl and the basement. 

Clara was thinking how deeply the Doctor and River loved each other, they had false memories and they didn't know each other, but they fell in love anyway. She was a little envious, the Doctor could have been a one thousand and over years old man, but now he was John, a young human boy and she deluded herself that he would fall for her, NOT River. She knew it was a cruelty against River, who was carrying his child and had sacrificed so much for the Doctor, but Clara still felt attached to him and she was jealous of his wife. When River came back everything changed, but mostly the Doctor, she discovered a whole new side of him, which he had kept well hidden before. She had to admit it, that woman brought the light in the Doctor's life and she had never seen him so happy and peaceful before, well at least he was happy and peaceful before the Silence and everything else. But Clara could never hate River, she just couldn't, she had been like a mother for her since the beginning and now in this situation she was realising just how loving she could be with her. Actually River didn't deserve what Clara had hoped to happen with John and soon she regretted those thoughts. 

Carried away by her thoughts she didn't realise how late was, she hurried upstairs to her room and decided to read the manual the Doctor had given her about Time Lords pregnancy, for any occasion. She was opening the book when she heard the front door opening and the laughing. 

River was trying to held her own giggles while hushing John, who was bending over with laughter.

"Shut up John, you'll wake up Clara!"

"Right, right I'll be quite."

And then John did the most unexpected thing, well it was unexpected to River, anyway he took her face in his hands and kissed her. River found herself responding to the kiss with such passion she was surprised by herself. 

Clara who hadn't heard any noise, frowned, something was wrong. She ran downstairs and saw them, at last they admitted their feelings! She was happy for them, maybe they couldn't remember what they really meant for each other, but at least they had their love. Her envy for River was completely gone, after all Clara's was just a crush for the Doctor, anybody would fall for him. But the bond between River and the Doctor was something deeper than a simple crush, she smiled and with less noise as possible she made for her room, leaving her best friend and his wife together. 

In the end it was obvious to Clara that the Doctor really couldn't help falling in love with River, again and again, clueless of who he was or not, Time Lord or Human, he just loved her and she was nobody to prevent that from happening.


	5. Chapter 5

_27th April_

 

They were sitting on River's bed. They had been in a glamorous restaurant that night, once back home, after an infinite sequence of sweet and angry kisses, they entered River's bedroom and now they were sitting on the bed, facing each other, John was caressing her face lovingly.

She was beautiful, with her wild golden locks falling on her shoulders, but what he really loved of her were her eyes, two blue pools of a crystallin water, flecked with green-brown strains and everything held by a deep dark blue-green outline which gave them a reassuring warm.

She had her arms wrapped around his neck and was stroking his scalp, which sent shivers down his spine. She had thought that love was a speculative invention of poets, what she had felt for her husband was a deep respect and a tender friendship. The baby was the result of the desire of both of them to have someone to love unconditionally together. But now everything was different, his shyness and tenderness had produced in her a new sensation, a feeling much deeper and visceral. She kept saying what they had wasn't right, even when he had told her he cared for her and at last he felt complete with her at his side, she kept telling herself it was not the way it was supposed to be. She felt like she was taking advantage of his crush on her and instead he should have been looking for a woman much younger than her. But she was selfish, she knew it and couldn't help it. She knew that one day he would have walked away from that house in search of something else and she wouldn't blame him, even if her heart would have died. How wrong she was, but she couldn't know it, because she was living in an illusion, the man she called John Smith was the over thousand-year father of her baby and was called the Doctor, he wouldn't have left her, not now anyway. She kissed him, slowly at first but then he deepened the kiss and he couldn't understand anything anymore, overwhelmed by the intensity of the passion for her. She pulled away, gasping for air, she was surprised by the ardour of the kiss, but she was pleased and her heart felt like burning with love for him. Her startled look frightened him, he was afraid of what he had done, what if she didn't want this, what if he had hurt her?

"I'm sorry, I don't know what has gotten into me...I-I..."

He couldn't finish the sentence, she pulled him in another deep kiss. She was selfish and this night she was going to forget it. She lowered them on the mattress, still kissing him. She started to undo his tie pulling him as closer as her huge belly let her. He broke the kiss and gently backed away from her face, looking in her deep blue eyes.

"River are you sure you want this?"

That's what he wanted, more than anything else at this moment, but he didn't want to push her, what counted was River's will. Her hearts broke, she felt so silly and ashamed, of course, what was she thinking about?

"I'm sorry... I thought, nothing, I'm so stupid..."

She surely had misunderstood his words, damn him, he shook his head with a reassuring smile.

"That's not what I meant, I want this, but I don't want you to feel obliged to do this. All I want is you to be comfortable."

"Oh hush..."

She started to kiss him fiercely once again and that night not another word was spoken...

 

The next morning they were laying together, John was hugging her tightly from behind, well would have been quite difficult from the front, considering the actual dimensions of her belly. He was stroking the side of her belly, her hands over his. Clara entered the room and seeing all that naked skin she smacked a hand over her eyes. John tried frantically to cover his and River's limbs, turning a bright shade of red.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to... Sorry, I really am... I-I'll go now..."

"It's okey Clara, just remember to knock in the future..."

After speaking River gave John a mischievous grin who made John blush even more, if it was possible.

"Okey... I'll go now, if you need me I'll be downstairs."

And then Clara rushed away, shutting the door closed behind her. Once alone again River directed her gaze to John's, who was still red.

"You keep blushing like a schoolboy!"

"Oh, you like it" and then he kissed her lips lightly, stroking her cheek lovingly.

"We should get dress, don't you think?" Said River with a gentle blush.

"Yes... Even if I rather stay in bed all day."

"Oh oh, sweetie, you are tempting me, but"- pointing at her belly with a fond smile -"this little one here is quite hungry, she is kicking like a mad."

" _She_? How do you know the gender?"

"I don't know actually, the baby could also be a boy, but it's better than it. Moreover I sense it's a girl... I know it's stupid and meaningless..." "It's not stupid... It's beautiful..." He stared at her in awe, she was stunning, her big hair flying everywhere, her eyes shining with happiness. Until River brought him back to Earth with her mellow voice. "Come on, twelve-year-old face, let's get dress and eat something."

 

^~^_^~^_^~^_^~^_^~^_^~^

 

Meanwhile in an abandoned barn A woman dressed in black was pacing in a dark room, illuminated by an artificial cold light. Suddenly the heavy door she was facing opened and a young soldier came in.

"Madame Kovarian, he is here."

"Let him in then."

Moments later at the door there was a lanky 25-year-old boy, wearing an old and creased black shirt with a pair of dark ripped jeans and black trainers. He was a young man with an oval long face, pale skin, his dark brown hair partially covering his eyes, which were crystallin light blue, with a dark blue outline. His thick eyebrows gave him an inscrutable gaze. His lips were thin with two piercing at the each side of the lower lip. There was a bleak but deadpan look in his cerulean blue pools, that showed the anguish of a lifetime, hidden by years and years of submission to his fate. Raised without love by Madame Kovarian, with no memory of his real parents and the faintest idea of his origins. The only thing that gave him the strength to keep going was the unconditioned hatred for that woman and more over for the people who had generated so much aversion in her, if those Time Lords hadn't existed, he would have been with his parents.

"Now, now, Jamie, we have been stuck on Earth, in this awful time period for six months with no results, you promised me to find the child."

"Well, to be sincere I didn't promise you anything, you threatened and obliged me to do so... But I could do nothing anyway, because the Doctor turned himself into a human, his tracks are of no use anymore, the Time Lord child is still growing, she was not completed yet."

" _Was_ , is she now?"

"Yes, it's still feeble, but it's becoming more and more detectable, I believe that in two months we will have the accurate location of them, at the moment my machines have just detective a Time Lord presence in England, but not more."

"God, two months, we've already passed six months here, do you understand that the more we near the birth the more are the chances of not catching them?"

"I understand perfectly, but it doesn't depend on me, that detector takes time and the tacks must be tangible."

"I will give you just two more months. If you won't have succeeded by that time I will kill you. I have to hand the Doctor and his child to the Mother of Silence and I will, dead or alive I will have those two."

 

^~^_^~^_^~^_^~^_^~^_^~^

 

River and John were sitting on a bench in front of the sea, the sun was at the end of his journey through the sky and was now diffusing an orange shade of light. The air was chilly, a sharp breeze piercing in through their light clothes. River pulled her shrug tighter while shivering, noticing this, John engulfed her tighter around his arms and kissed her forehead.

"Are you cold?"

"A little..." John tossed his jacket and placed it on the shoulder of the woman next to him.

"Better?"

"Better, thank you, but now you'll get a cold..."

"Don't worry I'm stronger than it seems."

Silence followed, not an uncomfortable or awkward silence, they were drinking in each other presence, enjoying the proximity of their limbs.

The baby was kicking eagerly in her womb, a peaceful sensation emanating from her. Her, the baby River was getting to know and love even more every passing day. She couldn't explain how, but she felt like she could sense her, not just her tiny limbs moving inside of her belly, something more, something deeper. It was like she could feel her emotions, most of all love, her baby was so full of love for her and the world she couldn't look forward to meeting. She could also perceive excitement for fluctuating inside of her and an overwhelming glee for just being alive. River hadn't told anybody this, she was afraid of sounding crazy, but she knew it was the truth, it was a tangible reality glowing inside of her. The curly woman couldn't wait to held her small creation in her arms and hear the baby's heart beat while rocking her to sleep. She wanted to show her the beauty and wonders of the world, yes, they would have travelled together, going were River had already been and where she hadn't, seen new and old things through the young eyes of her child. The future will be theirs, River and the baby, and... John, if he would have been still there by that time. She wasn't sure how long this blissful infatuation would last, but she definitely dreaded the day he would walk away...

"You know I was thinking, when the baby is born I, you know, I can be her father... Well her adoptive father, unfortunately I'm not her real one, not that her real one was bad, I'm sure he was the best man ever... But I think every child needs a father figure and if you want I can be that for her..."

River was astonished, she had never thought he could come up with something like this. After her husband demise she thought she would have been alone and nobody would have cared for her and the baby like her husband had.

"I-I don't know how to explain it, it will sound crazy or stupid but... I care for her, for the baby I mean. It's a strange feeling, it's like, it's like I love her..."

John lifted his gaze from the floor, where it was laying during this revelation, to meet hers, which were sparkling with unshed tears.

"It will be a honour for me and for the baby to call you her father, at least her adoptive father, but... Are you sure? This will mean you'll be tied to our lives, are you really sure is what you want? And most of all, is this what you will want also in the future? You are not obliged to do this, you're so young..."

"Is what I want, I'm sure of it and I want to stay with you two. I have a dream, and it has your face, it's utterly made of you, River, and your baby, if you will let me. If I can't be part of your life, than I don't want a future altogether, because the dream would be shapeless and empty."

"You really sound like a poet now..."

"Well, after all I am a poet. I don't want to push you, but if you want to think about it..."

John brushed away some escaped tears sliding on her face with his thumb, River cupped his cheeks, with a trembling smile, and kissed his eyelids. Then she moved to his lips, giving him a deep kiss. After a moment they got away from each other, in need of air.

"I suppose it's a yes!"

"Yes..."


End file.
